MIDWEEK PRAYER

 I've been thinking a lot about FAITH this week.  I've read quite a bit about how different people describe FAITH.  FAITH, HOPE and LOVE are the great values we should all embrace.  Of course, it is said in the Bible that the greatest of these is LOVE.  

Last week, I wrote about the concept of a loving one's neighbor.  It seems to me that to give yourself in LOVE requires you to have FAITH.  Not necessarily FAITH in your neighbor but FAITH in God.  This FAITH in God tells us that God not only made us but all people.  An old story and axiom says that "God don't make no junk."  Have FAITH in that.  This FAITH will allow you to LOVE.

(Prayers based on acts of Faith are readily available on the internet.  Find one yourself this week.)

Here's the way several people have put it.   

Rick Springfield wrote and recorded a song called Act of Faith.  This is the bridge:  

"It's gonna take an act of faith to stand up and face the day

It's gonna take an act of faith; nobody can make you stay

It's gonna take an act of faith
Maybe love will find it's way back into your life
Here's my heart; my love is in it
Here's my heart; my love is in it"

The following is quoted from Nicola Yoon, an author born in Jamaica.  It is from her book, also a film of the same name, The Sun is Also a Star.

"For most immigrants, moving to a new country is an act of faith.  Even if you've heard stories of safety, opportunity, and prosperity, it's a leap to remove yourself from your own language, people and country.  Your own history.  What if the stories weren't true?  What if you couldn't adapt?  What if you weren't wanted in the new country?"

The following comes from Franz Stampfl, an Austrian coach of athletics.  He developed the principles and system of 'Interval Training' which is now widely accepted throughout the world.

"Training is principally an act of faith.  The athlete must believe in it's efficacy; he must believe that through training he will become fitter and stronger; that by constant repetition of the same movements he will become more skillful and his muscles more relaxed . . . he must be a fanatic for hard work and enthusiastic enough to enjoy it."